Epsom Hospital stands to lose its A&E and maternity units if recommendations published today are followed.
The Better Standards Better Value (BSBV) review on services at the hospital has today posted its draft pre-consultation business case, in which it recommends a "preferred option" that would see Epsom Hospital becoming an elective care centre and St Helier becoming a local hospital, with both losing their A&E and maternity units.
A second, "alternative option" would see Epsom becoming a local hospital, with St Helier as an elective care centre. Again, both would lose their A&E and maternity units.
A third, "least preferred" option is to turn Epsom Hospital into an elective care centre, with St Helier remaining as an acute hospital with upgraded services, and Croydon becoming a local hospital. Under this option both Epsom and Croydon hospitals would lose their A&E and maternity services.
The draft pre-consultation business case will now be considered by the seven local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs)associated with the hospitals in question during May.
The draft business case requires the unanimous support of CCGs in order for BSBV to put its proposals forward for public consultation.
The CCG boards are meeting individually during May and will discuss BSBV, prior to a joint meeting of all CCGs and NHS England, at the start of June.
A meeting of the Surrey Downs commissioning group's governing board will be held in public on May 17 at Epsom Downs Racecourse from 1.30pm to 5pm.
